What is Biochemical Engineering?

STIRRING STUFF...Miniature bioreactors double the speed at which anthrax vaccine can be produced. More.

Taking the stress out of industrial production.Ultra scale-down techniques can predict how damage can occur during manfucturing More.

THE WONDERS OF LEFT-HANDED PROTEINS.How using organic life forms can double the efficiency of manufacturing life-changing drugs. More.

Biochemical
engineers translate exciting discoveries in life sciences into practical
materials and processes contributing to human health and well-being. If you are
interested in applying your skills and knowledge to meet global challenges
relating to the development of novel medicines, pioneering stem cell therapies
or green sustainable technologies, then Biochemical Engineering at UCL is for
you.

Biochemical
engineers are key players in the greatest biomedical challenges that lie ahead
including the preparation of vaccines for the treatment of diseases as diverse
as HIV, AIDS, swine flu and cervical cancer as well as the construction of
tissue engineered replacement body parts. Crucially, they are continually
concerned with ensuring that the methods used to prepare the medicine are the
safest possible, as even a few virus molecules from a contaminated source are
enough to make a valuable medicine a dangerous vehicle for infection,
especially if it is given by injection.

In
the next decade and beyond, the contributions of biochemical engineers to the
worldwide community will be vital not only in the area of new medicines but
also for novel materials from renewable sources such as biofuels, improved
approaches to reducing and dealing with environmental pollution and more
nutritious foods.